Support for crucibles and ladles



n. E. MOREY Erm. 2,444,451

SUPBORT FOR CRUGIBLES AND LADLES July 6, 194s.

Filed' Jan. 11, 194sA ROBERT E. MOREY ROBERT C. WAYNE www@ Patented July 6, 1948 surroa'r Foa caucmnas nm munis mim E. Morey, Washingtoner. c.. and anim C. Wayne, United States Navy Application January 1l, 1946, Serial No. 640,635

3 Claims. (Cl. Zz-TQ) (Granted maar the m ir-umh s, ma, as

amended April 30, 1928; 37|) 0. G. '157) This invention relates to metal casting apparatus, and more particularly to a mounting structure for preparing metal for casting utilizing the thermit process.

Qrdinarily, in preparing metal for casting. and

particularly for steel casting, it is necessary to employ a furnace to melt the metal. Often, however, where repairs must be made in the ileld, as in many military situations, it is impractical to have a suitable furnace available, thus necessitating return of damaged equipment to' a base with consequent delay. It has been found. however, that by employing the thermit process it is quite feasible to produce metal for casting in the iield without the use of a furnace. As is well known, the thermit process utilizes the reaction which may be made to occur between aluminum and an oxide of a metal to produce a metal. The temperature of the reaction may be controlled readily by additions of scrap metal and the time required to produce metalis very short. Since the proportions of aluminum and iron oxide are constant and the primary variableis the amount of scrap to be added. the preparation of metal for casting by the thermit process is relatively simple and may be accomplished without' the services of a highly skilled melter.

While no special apparatus is required for the thermit process other than a crucible and a ladle to receive the metal from the crucible, in practice the operation may be greatly facilitated by employing suitably designed apparatus.

An object of the present invention is accordingly to provide a simple and efiicient apparatus for preparing metal for casting utilizing the thermit process.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a readily portable mounting structure for supporting the crucible and ladle used in the thermit process. 4

In accordance with one embodiment of this invention, a mounting structure may be provided comprising a substantially rectangular, `paralllelepiped structure formed by a pair 'of spaced, upright, side plates, a top plate mounted between the upper edges of the side plates, and a plurality of cross members extending4 between the side edges of the side plates to provide a rigid structure. A deep notch is formed in the forward edge of each of the side plates, substantially in the middle thereof, and extends rearwardly approximateiy to the mid-point of each plate, the notches serving to receive the ladle shank and to permit positioning the ladle directly beneath an aperture formed in the center of the top plate Nin which is disposed the crucible. The various members described maybe rigidly joined to provide a permanent structure, or may be hinged to provide a collapsible, portable structure.

Other objects vand advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken 'in conjunction with the drawing wherein the single figure is a perspective view of a mounting structure constructed in accordance with this invention, a conventional ladle and crucible being shown in conjunction herewith to illustrate the utility of this inven- As hereinbefore stated, in utilizingthe thermit process for preparing metal for casting a reaction crucible is `employed and the reaction in- Ygredlents, that is the aluminum, the metal oxide. for example magnetic oxide of iron, and such scrap metal as Vmaybe required,`are placed in the crucible prior to starting the reaction. While the crucible forms no part of the present invention and any suitable crucible may be employed therewith. the following description of a conventional crucible for use in the thermit process may be helpful to an understanding of the present inventio The crucible may have any convenient shape, such asthat of the crucible I shown in the drawing, and whileit is generally made of metal, because of the highly exothermic nature of the thermit reaction, a lining (not shown) of refractory material is usually provided. A tapping aperture (not shown)- is formed inthe base of the crucible and before the reaction ingredients are placed in the crucible this aperture is sealed. `For this purpose a plug is often eml ployed, the plug having a flanged head which seats against the inner side of the crucible while a long stem is provided and extends downwardly through the `tapping, aperture `and beyond the crucible sumciently so that the tapping aperture may be opened bystriking the stem and driving the plug upwardly into the crucible. A lid 2 is provided for the crucible to prevent splattering of the ingredients during the reaction and lugs I are mounted about the periphery of the lower portion of the crucible to serve as supports for the crucible. At the completion of the thermit reaction, the crucible is tapped and the molten metal is drained into a ladle 4 positioned immediately beneath the `crucible. The molten metal is allowed to drain into the ladle untilv slag beladle and then the ladle is removedto permit the slag to draineither into a suitable slag pan or into a pit formed in the ground.

In accordance with the present invention, a mounting structure is provided which may be made to be readily portable and yet will provide a rigid land efficient support for thereaction crucible and ladle. Referring to the drawing,- it will'be seen that this structure includes two, spaced, parallel, side plates 5 and 6, which, are substantially rectangular in `shapel and similar in dimensions. These plates are connected at their rear edges by vertically spaced `cross-members 'l reaction crucible when cold. The

,The shank rods I6 form a with the thermit process.

i u ront es by a cross-'member 8, locatedgimniediately" adjacent the bases of the side pices toaypid obstructing the front of the structure," thlsVfacilltating positioning the ladle beneath the reaction Vcrucible and later removing A heavy, rectangular, top 6 is supported between the upper edges of these sidemembers and has formed in the center portion thereof a large aperture l suitable` to receive the lower portion ofthe reaction crucible. Since the reaction crucible will tend to expand during the reaction, the aperture l0 is made slightly larger than required to admit the'lower portion of the I reaction crucible is supported by the lugs 3 provided adjacent the base of the crucible as hereinbefore described,

l the lugs resting on the edge of the aperture I0. Where lugs or similar devices are not provided on the reaction crucible, as is the conventional practice, it becomes desirable to provide a flange or a ring which may serve the same purpose, as will be readily apparent.

In orderk to permit positioning the ladle immevdiately beneath the reaction crucible, a deep substantially V-shaped notch l2 is formed in the forward edge of each side member and extends from the center portion thereof rearwardly sub-V stantially to the middle of the plate. At the apex of. each notch a recess .I3 is formed, the recess being substantially circular and having iixed thereto the outer end of .an inwardly extending, semi-cylindrical trunnion bearing Il, adapted to receive a portion of one of a pair of shank rods l5. Dart of a conventional ladle support which includes a shank I6, or ring, to diametrically opposed sides of which are iixed use the ladle is supported in the shank. as shown in the drawing. Handles Il are mounted on the outer ends of the rods I6 to enable transfer of the ladle and pouring. To prevent buckling of the side plates trusses I8, which may comprise angle irons suitably secured to the side plates, are mounted on the inner sides of each of the side plates.

By rigidly connecting the side plates, top plate, and cross-members, as by bolting or welding, a permanent, rigid structure of simple and eiiicient design is afforded which is Ordinarily,'however,`it the structure portable and for this purpose it is more convenient to assemble the several elements hereinbefore describedso that the structure will be collapsible or foldable. In accordance with this invention this may be readily accomplished by connecting the top plate 9 to one of thesideplates, as for example the side plate 5. by hinges i9 which will permit the top plate to be pivoted upwardly and then down against the outer side of the associated side plate. The opposite edge of the top plate may be secured to the other side plate 6 bybolts 20, which are preferably made captive to prevent well-adapted for use the rear edge of this plate so that the cross-members may be pivoted forwardly, or in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in this drawing. The opposite ends of the cross-members 'l are secured to the side plate 6, on the other hand, by

hinges 25 so mounted on the rear edge of the side plate 6 as to permit the side plate 6 to be pivoted rearwardly in a clockwise direction, as viewed in this drawing, until the plate lies against the cross-members 1.

When it is desired to disassemble the mounting structure, the bolts 20 are disengaged from the side member or more particularly the bar 2l ilxed to the side member 6, and the stud 23 is loosened to permit the cross-member 8 to be pivoted upwardly to lie against the forward edge of the side plate 6 the cross-member being conveniently retained in this position by a latch 26 mounted on the side plate 6. Regarding the side plate 5 as being fixed,'the top plate 9 is now pivoted upwardly and in aclockwise direction until itllesin a plane parallel with the side plate 6. The side plate 6 is pivoted rearwardly in a clockwise direction until it lies against the cross-members 1. Then the cross-members 1 and slide plate 6 are pivoted together about the axis of the hinges 24 in a counterclockwise direction until the crossl loss when the structure is folded, a narrow bar 2| being mounted along the upper edgek of the side the bolts 20 secured thereon or therefor.

What is claimed is:

1. In a collapsible mounting structure for supporting a reaction crucible over a ladle. a pair of spaced substantially parallel, side plates. each of said side plates having a notch formed ln the forward edge and extending substantially to the middle thereof to receive a ladle support, a top plate pivotallymounted on the upper edge of one of said side plates and extending to the other of said side plates, means for securing said top plate to the latter side plate, said top plate having an aperture formed therethrough to receive the lower portion of the reaction crucible, and cross members pivotally xed to and extending between the rear and front edges of said side plate,

2. In a collapsible mounting structure for sup porting a reaction crucible over a ladle. a pair of spaced, substantially parallel side plates, each of said side plates having a notch formed in the forward edge and extending substantially to the middle thereof to receive a ladle support. a top plate pivotally mounted on'the upper edge of one of said s' e plates and extending to the other of said side plates, means for securing said top plate to the latter side plate, said top plate having an aperture formed therethrough to receive the lower porti-on of the reaction crucible, at least one cross member pivotally fixed to and extending between the rear edges of said side plates, a front cross member pivotally fixed `at one end to one of said side plates. and means for securing the other end of said front cross member to the other of said side plates.

3. In a collapsible mounting structure -for supporting a reaction crucible over a ladle, a pair of spaced substantially parallel, side plates, each of said side plates having a notch formed in the Iorward edge and extending substantially through the middle thereof to receive a ladle support, trunnion bearings mounted in each of said notches to 5 .of the reaction crucible, and cross members piv otally fixed to and extending between the rear and front edges of said side plate.

ROBERT E. MIOREY. ROBERT C. WAYNE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille o1' this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 222.816 Daniel Dec. 23, 1879 927,022 Blackham July 6, 1909 1,037,768 Holzapfel Sept. 3, 1912 1,651,284 Leiberman Nov. 29, 1927 1,663,649 Elkins Mar. 27, 1928 1,931,769 Newton Oct, 24, 1933 

